There are different types of liquefier on the market, each with features that vary depending on whether they are going to be put to professional catering or household use.
The one proposed here improves upon existing types in the aspects that are set out hereinunder.
One of the problems usually encountered by liquefiers is the dripping of liquid from the outlet spout after grating fruit or vegetables, as the residues that remain in the filter or on the actual grater disc continue to ooze slowly and several minutes may go by before this dripping finally ceases.
The use of shut-off cocks is not advisable as they necessarily have to consist of various parts with the increased risk of breakage and difficulty in cleaning and, furthermore, in the event of the cock being closed when proceeding to make use of the liquefier, the juice may overflow from the appliance.
The liquefier proposed here accommodates an inverted L-shaped hollow tubular piece, preferably of flexible material, in the end of the juice outlet spout so that the juice runs through its interior, flowing to the exterior from the opposite end to that inserted in the spout, and once the juice is served, this piece can be easily turned, with the result that the end from which the juice drops, opposite to the end inserted in the spout, is directed upwards, while said piece acts as a reservoir and collects the drops that may remain inside the liquefier, thus preventing them from dripping out.
Another of the aspects that is improved by the invention proposed here is the drive system or coupling between the motor and the rotary piece containing the filter and the grater disc.
Of the different existing systems, one of the most successful is that combining a male rotary drum, integral with the motor, in the sides of which a series of diagonal grooves are machined. These grooves, angled in the direction of motor rotation, engage with shoulders provided on another female drum, which fits on the male one and supports the grater disc and the filter.
The fact that the side grooves are angled in the direction of rotation means that the faster this rotation, the closer the connection between one piece and the other will be.
This solution generates problems, however, when it is intended, as is the case here, that the liquefier should be brought to a complete standstill when so desired by the user or as a result of the accidental opening of the top lid, as in these circumstances the actual inertia of the piece on which the grater disc and the filter rest causes it to be forced out.
The above-mentioned problem has been overcome in the present invention by including strips of silicone or other non-slip material on the edges of the inclined notches, which will bear higher pressure in case of a sudden stop, thus generating greater friction and preventing the piece from lifting.
The grater disc is also designed to offer a better performance than on other liquefiers, as in these the aforesaid disc is attached to the rotary piece by means of a screw threaded into a through-hole or else by way of some other integral, non-removable means.
The use of a through-screw created two problems, as on the one hand its head reduced the area of the grater sensibly, precisely at the centre, and on the other it represented an additional piece when it came to cleaning the parts of the appliance.
The liquefier that is proposed here possesses a grater disc, to which the screw securing it to the rotary piece is welded on the under side, or else attached there by some other means that will assure a strong lasting connection, the grater disc proper being converted into the head of this attach screw, so that the whole area the grater disc can be utilized to the full.
Another of the problems that commonly arises in liquefiers lies in the way that the fruit or vegetable is forced towards the grater disc, as the standard practice is for the lid sealing the space where the filter and the grater disc rotate to be provided with a hole, usually with a hole with a lower tubular extension down which the fruit or vegetable to be liquefied is fed by means of a hand-operated push piston, thrusting it into said hole in order to press it against the disc.
As a rule, the under side of said push piston, the one in contact with the fruit or vegetable, is usually flat or at the most slightly inclined, with the result that sometimes fruit of a certain size, upon being pressed by a flat surface against a fast rotating disc, moves around in a random fashion inside the tube due to the absence of guidance, impacting against the sides and causing considerable vibration.
The under side of the piston proposed here has a subtle, preferably offset concavity, so that, when the fruit or vegetable is pressed against the grater disc, it cannot escape from such pressure as it is slightly enclosed inside this concavity, which forces it against the angle formed by the grater disc and the filter.
Nevertheless, in spite of the improvement introduced in the push piston, since the feed hole is designed for fruit of a considerable size, there is a series of vegetables, such as carrots for example, which prove difficult to liquefy because of their narrow elongated form, as they drop onto the grating disc and as a result of the rotation they produce the abovementioned vibration or are even displaced towards the outer edges of the grater disc, with the result that the appliance has to be switched off and opened in order to repeat the feeding operation.
The liquefier proposed here includes a feed-hole reducer consisting of a truncated cone-shaped piece which is inserted into said hole and which is, in turn, traversed over its whole length by a hole of a smaller diameter into which another suitably-sized push piston is inserted.
Another of the facets that is also improved in the liquefier that is the object of the present invention is that relating to the closure of the top lid, which requires a tight seal but at the same time permits easy opening, this being the reason why recourse has sometimes been made to exterior handles, as is the case described in Utility Model U291323, which, upon being lifted, press the lid downwards against the bowl containing the filter, while this lid is released if we lower said handle.
This solution generates problems of use because of the handle being external, as angles and corners awkward for cleaning purposes are created and, furthermore, upon lowering the handle, which has a fulcrum below the filter in order to permit leverage, we run the risk of overturning the jug containing the juice.
To overcome both problems, the liquefier that is the object of the present invention proposes a piece in the form of a handle separate from the liquefier, which facilitates simpler cleaning. In order to fulfill its pressure seal function, said piece is coupled to the liquefier by way of its claw-like ends, which engage with two T-shaped heads that project from the casing and extend towards its interior.
Once the handle-piece is engaged in said heads and upon attempting to press it down, its actual geometry tends to raise the aforesaid heads, which oppose said upward movement due to the action or a spring or elastic element pulling them in the opposite direction, thereby generating in this way sufficient pressure to achieve the tight sealing of the top lid of the liquefier.
When the handle-piece is in the horizontal position of use, it is fully integrated in the geometry of the appliance, thereby facilitating the cleaning jobs and preventing the risk of it getting hooked up, or other such accidents.
Like others, the liquefier that is the object of the present invention has a bin at the pack for collecting the pulp and waste from the liquefying process.
The special design of this bin, with a groove in its inner face, enables the motor cooling air to issue from the rear side of the body of the liquefier, so that, when the bin is in place, no ventilation grille is visible, thereby preserving the motor from the entry of dust or small objects that might damage its operation.
The actual design of the bin ducts the hot air towards the base of the appliance.